Broadcast partner Kevin Brown lined up 42 recorded messages of farewell to play in breaks during the game, ranging from former Chiefs broadcasters to the hostess at Benetti's favorite local restaurant to his parents.

"Some of them, when I heard their voice, it was like, this is your life. Every half-inning, there was someone else,'' Benetti marveled. "I think I have friends and people who care about me. But the fact that they kept coming was constantly overwhelming.''

Benetti choked up through the game and then got especially emotional in the postgame show. Benetti drew upon the character of news anchor Ted Baxter in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show,'' who often began his fictional life story with the phrase "It all started...''